Throughout the seventeenth century, Flemish mapmakers became highly influential in the field of cartography and social conceptions of world geography. The Amsterdam-based Hondius family was no exception to this rule. Both Jodocus Hondius, Sr. (1563-1612) and his two sons, Jodocus Hondius, Jr. (1594-1629) and Hendrik Hondius (1597-1651) as well Senior's son-in-law, Jan Jansson (1588-1664), created and published maps that led to a highly successful world atlas based on the work of Gerardus Mercator (1512-1594). In 1604, Jodocus Hondius, Sr. purchased map plates made by Mercator. In 1606, Jodocus published a new edition of Mercator's "Atlas" with 36 of his own maps and called himself the work's publisher. Following his death, Hendrik continued publication of the "Atlas" using the original engraving plates from his father. He worked in collaboration with his brother-in-law, Jan Jansson, to continue publication of the work. Hendrik added to the atlas using map plates from his brother, Jodocus, Jr., created following Jodocus, Jr's death in 1629. In 1638, Hendrik and Jan changed the title of the Atlas to "Atlas Novus" and began using their names on the publication of the maps. Following Hendrik's death, Jansson continued publishing the atlas and adding to its content until there were 10 volumes plus an extra volume in the 1650s-1660s. Publication of this atlas finished in 1708 (Burden, 235-237; Pierluigi and Knirsch, 162-3; Wagner, 310).